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Last week, Tauranga City Council confirmed it would remain divided into three wards.

There is Maori representation on council's Tangata Whenua Committee, the Wastewater Management Review Committee and various working groups.

Mr Flavell said a change was long overdue.

"The fact that five per cent of the voting public can challenge any decision related to Maori representation is disheartening ... Everyone is aware of the low participation of Maori in local government and the existing legislation is clearly inadequate."

Mr Flavell said Maori seats would better represent and reflect the make-up of the community.

Awanui Black, who holds the Mauao Maori seat on Bay of Plenty Regional Council, said he was 100 per cent in support of the move. "It might seem as though it's because I have a vested interest, but it's the way our world is going.

"What would the candidate's mandate be? We take an oath to represent the whole community without bias or prejudice and we do that with diligence," he said.

Mr Crosby said another difficulty with the concept was that Tauranga Moana had three iwi groups and choosing one candidate to represent all three would cause problems.

"Thirdly, one of the major reasons is that we already have a good working relationship with iwi and in my view to go down this path would damage those relationships," he said

Mr Crosby said there was no impending local government reorganisation.

"In my view, after weighing up all the pluses and negatives, establishing a Maori seat would be negative move. We have been on a journey of healing and reconciliation but we're not there yet and maybe in a few years' time we should have the conversation but this is not the right time."